The present invention relates in general to covers for internal combustion engines in motor vehicles, and, more specifically, to manually mounting of a soft engine cover to an engine component using a robust fastener without requiring tools.
The engine compartment of a vehicle presents various challenges for vehicle engineers and designers in providing functionality, serviceability, and aesthetics in a relatively small space. Consideration must also be given to manufacturing and assembly costs in addition to weight, which ultimately impacts fuel economy, to deliver a competitive product. An engine cover is typically used in order to enhance the overall appearance of the engine compartment and to reduce the propagation of engine noise.
The typical mounting for an engine cover to an engine upper component (e.g., a cam cover or an air intake manifold) may be comprised of several steel brackets, fasteners, or other joining structures such as hooks or clamps. The use of several intermediate components which attach on one side to the engine cover and on the other side to the engine component creates many potential sites for NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) problems such as squeak and rattle. A relatively large part count leads to added part costs and an associated increase in manufacturing/assembly costs.
Conventional fasteners used to secure the cover have been relatively difficult to reach and/or manipulate during installation, and have generally required tools such as a wrench or other driver to secure the fasteners. When tools are required, the design of the engine and other components in the engine compartment must maintain sufficient open space around the fasteners to allow clearance for placement and manipulation of the tool. Thus, it would be desirable to increase noise attenuation and improve visual appearance while providing an attachment that simplifies installation, reduces parts count, relaxes constraints on space utilization, and lowers overall cost. Additional desirable features include easy verification of proper installation of the fasteners, low installation force, high retention force, and reliable retention when subjected to vibrations.